Answer

By Your Horse

Nutritionist Louise Jones replies:
In the past 20 years equine nutritional science has come a long way and bran has in most cases been replaced by fully-balanced concentrated feeds. Although there are certain times when a nutritionist may advise using bran – such as after a colic operation – it’s not generally fed on a daily basis.
● To build bones and assist muscle function, phosphorous and calcium must be absorbed in appropriate proportions – bran’s very high in phosphorous and low in calcium.
● These high phosphorous levels mean the horse has to draw on calcium stored in the skeleton to balance the excess. In extreme cases this can lead to Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism, or ‘big head’.
● Bran also contains phytic acid, which can ‘bind’ to essential minerals and make them unavailable to the horse – this can affect things like hoof quality.
● The practice of feeding bran irregularly can upset the balance of bacteria in your horse’s gut. A concentrate feed is better.